Conservationists and primate fans everywhere are going bananas! According to the Great Ape Trust, six orangutans from Hollywood’s only ape-rental operation are being sent to a sanctuary in Iowa. So instead of being rented for use in TV and movies, these lucky apes – which include 3-year-old Rocky and his Mom, Katy – will be roaming free and socializing with bonobos, chimps, and gorillas.

Sounds like a vacation to me!

Thanks to Steve Martin’s (not related to the actor) Working Wildlife of Los Angeles, the threatened creatures will no longer be farmed out to the entertainment industry. Maybe this move out of the movies will shed a spotlight on the plight of the ape – whose wild habitats are fast disappearing due in part from illegal logging practices. Now, wouldn’t it be nice if all the other working animals in Hollywood could be given such a sweet retirement!

It is so wonderful that Rocky and Katy are finally leaving behind the entertainment world and moving to the Great Ape Trust, where they will be taken care of for the rest of their natural lives by a truly dedicated staff.

For years now, we’ve seen Rocky appearing in one commercial after another…. wondering how long this dreadful practice would continue. Now we know the answer: It’s over!

Thank you to the Martins for letting Rocky and Katy move on with their lives… and bravo to everyone involved in making this happen!

Now it’s time to focus on the crisis orangutans are facing in the wild at the hands of the palm oil industry. To learn how you can help save them, please visit the Orangutan Outreach website: http://redapes.org